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NO ONE walks alone!
Not a Blueprint: It’s the Shoeprints That Matters is a very personal story for you. How hard was it to put this story out in the world for people to read?
Firstly, you must know that I grew up in a house full of secrets. Whatever went on in the family, we were taught to keep it in the home. So, as an adult and a single parent, I was compelled to live a secretive and private life. I made a practice to rarely reveal what was happening in our lives. Even back then, those that knew of me had very little knowledge about me.
Secondly, for many decades, my journey with toxic relationships was deep seated, raw, and buried inside me. What you have to realize, I kept it all in a diary. Never realizing I was exactly telling a story about our life that would one day become an opened book to others. Unknowingly, this writing was a healing medium that many may have called writing therapy.
Initially, during the editing phases, all I could do was cry, cry, and cry while trying to relive those painful and hurtful events. There was an instance, I recall when the editor and I had bumped heads; since I could not break through those raw emotions to express my thoughts clearly and precisely. It was extremely bad that the publisher had to intervene. After the conversation with her, she had me to take four days off to recover from that ordeal.
Finally, once we’d gotten back to the writing, I still couldn’t break through those unsettling emotions. It was then I came up with a conclusion to take the portion out. Therefore, I wrote in its chapter titled, Finding Peace and Comfort.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Truly, there were many challenging moments. The pain was just overly great and hurtful, I wanted to scream in an octave range; to the top of my lungs. But, I’ll share with you these crucial ones . . .
The challenges surfaced when writing about the guilt and steps taken into being someone’s mistress. Knowingly, the pain I had ‘cause another with the interference I’d made in their lives. And how horribly I’d abused myself by giving up my self-worth; self-dignity; and all those other self-dimensions one possesses. Through it all, I’ve come to realize we can be our worst abuser.
The most sharpening and piercing piece was writing the horrible news about my child. Being that parent and having to watch one so young go through a grown folk’s disease ─ can be the most devastating experience ever endured. It even breaks my heart (now) to write it here. You know, life can be so unfair? Yes, then again, whoever said life was fair?
You have to remember, I was reared in a Christian environment. So, once I let go of my religious and spiritual beliefs, there I was holding on to that poison of unforgiveness. It took decades to find my way through the darkness that kept me in a fixed space with an inability to move forward.
Finally, those years of experiencing losses took its toll traumatically, and overpowered me mentally. I had become a basket case. Surprisingly, I didn’t see that until it was on paper! To become housed living inside a world of trauma was not only terrorizing, but horrifying. Perhaps, that may be difficult for one to understand what it’s like − unless he or she has walked that journey.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
Unfortunately, that’s a tough question, I can’t clearly say there is one thing but many . . .
It’s story speaks about the good, the bad, and the ugly stuff life throws at us. Not only that, it was raw and canned. Thinking about relationships, there’s no way to prevent an engagement with them. Every integral piece is a vital part of living, period.
Ultimately, it’s message will reveal the importance that life brings many challenges; with each there are lessons learned along the way. And with each relationship, one can learn to recognize whether it has a toxic or non-toxic impact. Flipping through those pages, it illuminates the beauty of love, compassion, courage, determination, and strength.
As an end result, I can only hope readers reach an enlightening height from the lessons learned while walking on the journey. And realize that the engagement of toxicity affects everyone in one form or another. But, know when walking, NO ONE walks alone!
What is a common misconception you feel people have about toxic relationships?
In many cases, it could be that some feel they’re making the wrong choices or poor decisions when it comes to unhealthy relationships. However, they fail to realize you don’t chose a toxic person, they chose you.
In another instance, some are failing to realize the dangerous effects their interactions play out. But first they must understand what is a toxic relationship? “A toxic relationship occurs when two or more people interact in a way that is detrimental to their life.” Or, “Anything that is poisonous and capable of causing sickness or death.” In either case, all one has to do is think about how deadly COVID-19 has impacted our lives, daily. With that in mind, it’s evidence that a toxic relationship becomes nothing to play.
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Not a Blueprint; It’s the Shoeprints That Matter
Relationships play a significant role in human experiences throughout life’s journey. Nina Norstrom, in her memoir Not a Blueprint: It’s the Shoeprints That Matters refers to the toxic relationships she lives, endures, and learns through as a daughter, mate, mother, and working woman. The reader is taken on the author’s journey as they follow the shoeprints she leaves along her life path and those left behind by many others in her life. By going along with these shoeprints, the by-products of her life, readers learn about her battle against toxic relationships in various forms.
There are seventeen chapters in the memoir, which begin with an account of the author’s life. In the first nine chapters of the book, the author describes her experiences and struggles with domestic violence, both as a child witness it and in her own personal relationships. Throughout the remaining chapters, the author vividly recalls, her experiences while dealing with the toxic relationship with cancer that invades the life of her angel, her daughter.
In addition to expressing the author’s diverse emotions, the book pays homage to Nina Norstrom’s daughter, who tragically succumbed to a diseased toxic relationship in her life. My experience as a reader was emotional, and I commend the author for being open about her feelings while letting the readers inside the usually restricted area of a person’s psyche. The poems written for the departed soul of her daughter are beautifully expressed, seeping out the multitude of emotions of a parent. Moreover, the other feelings expressed in the book, whether it’s grief, anger, or resentment towards certain people, fate, or God, are raw and genuine.
This inspirational non-fiction story recounts Nina Norstrom’s journey of grief, guilt, and anger at God, to the path of finding peace with the will of God. Apart from providing solid shoes with which one can walk the hard paths of life, God also accompanies His children as they leave their shoeprints along the life journey. In the end, four appendices provide support resources, centers, and reading materials for those who are caught up in toxic relationships and would like support.
Not a Blueprint: It’s the Shoeprints That Matter is a deeply personal memoir that is recommended for those who want motivation from a genuine account of a battle with toxicity and self-reflection in the aftermath of trauma.
Pages: 179 | ASIN : B016X198SO
Prayers and Po-Boys
A few days to Christmas, Larry Singleton receives news that would change his life forever: he has been diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin lymphoma (cancer). Suddenly, Singleton realizes that he probably doesn’t have as much time as he thinks. The father and husband braces himself for a bumpy ride of treatment and picks up vital life lessons along the way. As he weathers the storm of chemotherapy, worry, and life generally, all he can do is pray and eat.
Prayers and Po-Boys is an inspirational account of Larry Singleton’s true topsy-turvy journey from when he was diagnosed with cancer through chemotherapy till he went into remission.
With soothing honesty, Singleton relates his thoughts, fears, struggles, and victories as he battled cancer. His approach suggests he is humble enough to accept that sometimes, the best help you can offer is to simply share your story.
Singleton’s crisp, concise, and immersive writing style makes his ideas stick in the readers head long after they have put the book down. Also, his tone is warm and reassuring, a sign that he is not just out to write a book but to genuinely reach into people’s hearts.
Prayers and Po-Boys is short but insightful. Its lessons range from Singleton’s epiphanies on living with cancer to revelations that can help anyone better understand and support affected loved ones. This is a fantastic book made even more so by the relevance of its themes.
Pages: 88 | ISBN: 1643074377
The Light Through The Pouring Rain – Book Trailer
A remarkable love story that pulls on your heartstrings and leaves you inspired. A page turner that gives a first hand look into the lives of a young couple madly in love and eager to start their lives together, only to have it all halted by a cancer diagnosis. With no clear road map on how to navigate their new normal, James and Anabel proceed into uncharted territory, hand-in-hand, with the love of their families and their faith in God to guide them.
Pies to Die For: How to Live a Vibrant Life Despite a Fatal Diagnosis
Pies to Die For is a how-to for those dealing with terminal diseases. Carole Weaver was first diagnosed with metastatic cancer in 2016, two days before she was about to see her grandson Mac Weaver for the first time. In the book, she talks about how she has been dealing with her disease. The book is not just about how to deal with the disease, how to have a semblance of an everyday life, but rather how to have a vibrant one, regardless of how big or small the disease is. She shares several incidents from her own life and the work of her husband, Ken, who creates appraisals for those who have lost art through death, debt, divorce, or disaster. The book is influenced by his profession and talks about the beauty and importance of art in one’s life, stage four cancer or not.
The book explores common issues that people tend to face, like pain, depression, panic attacks, and lesser dealt with topics such as intimacy problems, information overload etc. It provides unique insights into the life and struggles of those dealing with terminal diseases and thus is helpful for those wishing to overcome related issues, people who might have just received their news and are scared of the uncertainty the lies beyond, or friends and family who want to help and understand better.
The best part about the book is that it is a true to the soul, first-hand account of someone battling cancer. More often than not, we see self-help gurus, psychologists, and doctors publishing books on how to deal with cancer and other terminal diseases. However, no matter their expertise in their fields, they have no idea what a survivor deals with. Pies to Die For is an authentic, relatable, and touching first-hand account.
I also appreciated the appendix, which gives a quick go-to for dealing with a bad day. The book also gives you questions to ask in a group discussion. This is a complete guide answering questions and providing information that is not provided in the endless doctor appointments. This book tells you how to live a vibrant life and not just survive post-diagnosis.
Pies to Die For is an impassioned story that bares insight into a survivor’s life and provides tools to make their life full of joyous moments to remember. It provides actionable advice for dealing with your diagnosis and the life after that, even the things that you didn’t know you needed. This is an inspirational book that makes you appreciate your life, no matter how long or short, or how hard or easy.
Pages: 141 | ASIN: B092MCDBC3
Nadeem’s Journey: A Heart Wrenching Story of a Loving Mother Losing Her Son to Cancer – Book Trailer
Nadeem’s Journey by Sherine Anniruth is the soulful and bittersweet story of a mother who loses her son.
Nadeem was just 25 years old when he died from cancer, but his mother’s determination for his memory to live forever is beautiful and raw. Reading this book really shows what a mother’s love can be, and being a mother myself, I understand how every little memory, laugh, joke, and good time that you had with your child can push you through the day.
Sherine is a very strong woman while going through the loss of her precious son. This story absolutely captures Nadeem’s spirit, he was a fun loving and precocious boy who adored his mom, and he turned into a hardworking man that still had his mom by his side.
This book will captivate you and wrench your heart. You’ll definitely need to grab some tissues as you read the tender accounts of Sherine’s life with Nadeem, and his last breaths.
Interspersed with pictures of Nadeem and his family, you’ll definitely get an idea of how much love was in this family, and how much light he cast on the world.
Nadeem’s Journey
Nadeem’s Journey, by Sherine Anniruth, is a heart-wrenching account of a mother’s agony. This poignant journal vividly captures the real-life experience of the author’s family, as 25-year-old Nadeem is diagnosed with cancer. The excruciating pain and the fear of losing her bright, young son engulf Sherine, but she keeps fighting till the very last moment. Nadeem, holds on to willpower and puts his best foot forward to combat the deadly ailment. But the desperate attempt to reverse the wheel of fate amounts to nothing as the boy’s pessimistic end leaves us grappling with the questions of fate and man’s role in the broader scheme of things.
The greater part of the story is set in Perth, Australia, although we get a glimpse of the author’s life with Nadeem in South Africa. Nadeem’s sheer courage, intelligence, and talent allow him to blend into the new environment in Perth. The warmth with which the author describes her dear son and his achievements, testify to the love they shared, and how deep an impact his demise has left on her. Since this is a story taken from life, the characters are as real as one can imagine. The bonding among Nadeem and his brother and sister has been depicted beautifully. The people close to Nadeem, be it Sherine herself, her partner, her sister, or Nadeem’s friends, have supported him with all their might during the trying times. They are bound by human limitations, but their love and care for Nadeem have been reflected through every little anecdote that has been recollected in this work.
Besides capturing Nadeem’s battle with cancer, the story also illustrates a simultaneous battle his mother had been fighting– the battle of snatching her child from the clutches of death. Their resilience and fighter spirit are sure to inspire those going through a similar crisis in life. The simple, lucid, and direct tone hammer home to the readers the gravity of the situation. The author’s honest account brings us to tears, as the pain of losing a child is inexplicably harrowing. Despite being aware of a not so uplifting end to the extraordinary journey, a lingering sense of hope in Anniruth’s tone of writing keeps us hooked in the desire for a romantic miracle.
Pages: 160 | ASIN: B07RRW3GWN
SOUVENIRS OF SUFFERING: A Child’s Memoir of Surviving Cancer – Trailer
Through the eyes and voice of a child, Dazhoni Green recounts her battle with brain cancer, wrestling with the debilitating effects of its initial symptoms, the diagnosis and ensuing treatment. These experiences, doubts and fears, were a prelude to a lengthy and arduous recovery. Souvenirs Of Suffering is a candid account that will find the reader cheering Dazhoni on, sometimes with tears, at every obstacle on her way to become the compassionate, energetic young woman she is today. The champions in the story are friends, family members, teachers, hospital staff and camp counselors who patiently and lovingly supported her and other children struggling with debilitating diseases. These children are the real heroes, each and every one. Having cancer as a child changed Dazhoni’s view of life, something the reader will sense as she portrays each milestone along the way.
LITERARY TITAN 